Matt Whitsett • Matt's Haiku •

Tom Clausen: An Intuitive Zen Approach to Haiku What is the most important aspect of a haiku? In most cases, as readers and writers of haiku, each of us can probably identify one aspect of a haiku as being more important than any other. For Tom Clausen, a brilliant haiku writer from New York, the element of Zen seems to be a constant in almost all of his work. He believes that a haiku should speak to us about something we know but had only been subconsciously aware of it until reading and feeling the haiku. In an email interview with myself, Tom stated many things, but mainly spoke of what he believes haiku are and how Zen plays an important role in the writing and reading of haiku. Here is his statement regarding haiku: “Haiku are direct, present tense and celebrate our communion with all things…deep within us is a sense that we are “one” and invariably and unequivocally and seamlessly connected to everything…haiku are or can be like little prisms in which we see this spectrum of ourself an literally can attain, even if momentary, a sense of transcendence and simultaneously a fusion with the moment and all things (E-mail 1).” You’ll see that element of Zen much more if you get the opportunity to read his work. A possible reason for his insistence on connectedness could be because he traveled alone throughout Central and North America for an entire decade. Rather impressively, Tom was a bit of a wanderer, as he would travel by various means including bicycle, bus, train, canoe, and even by foot (haijinx.com 1). A decade provides someone quite a bit of time to think and write about life, while finding yourself as a person at the same time. When composing a list of 13 characteristics that the creation and appreciation of haiku demand, faith was first on his list. Tom mentions time and time again that although everything is constantly changing, there will always be a return to the beginning. After reading more in-depth what he was talking about, I began to understand him much more and even appreciate what he had to say. Although we don’t subconsciously realize it  . . . the seasons, night and day, life is one big cycle and I believe that while everything is going to continue to change, we should focus on today and what is happening right here and right now (members.tripod.com 9-10). I have chosen eight of my favorite haiku from Tom and discussed why I liked them and how they spoke to me through my personal experience. All of the haiku were sent directly from Tom via email, so I do not have the sources available to me. one tree one bird, one song the dusk I really appreciate this haiku because I can picture a couple different things occurring. First, I feel that this is a prime example of Zen influencing the haiku because of its “oneness.” I can picture a person sitting on his patio or back porch all alone in the evening when the sun is setting. Because Tom uses the word “one” so many times, it really focuses on this person being lonely with no companions. I can picture him drinking a beer wishing his partner were there beside him. Also, with the word “song”, I can see two different interpretations. On one hand, I see the bird actually singing the song and the only thing the person can hear is that one song from the bird. On the other hand, I see the person staring at the tree and bird, but listening to one song on the stereo. Maybe because he’s so lonely, he plays the same lonely song over and over again until the night comes and it’s time to go inside. in another country from a flatcar the Milky Way This haiku also gives me a tremendous sense of connectedness. It says to me that no matter where we are in this world and no matter what is going on in our lives, there will still be the same set of stars in the sky at the end of the day. I think this to mean that regardless of where you are, who you are, what differences you have with other people, the world is still the same for all of us. I picture two people: one staying here in the United States while the other has traveled across seas somewhere. They talk on the phone often and speak of how different their lives are at that certain point in time, but at the end of the day, they both see the same set of stars, and for some reason it brings them inner peace and closeness to that other person. taking off my clothes my heart closer . . . I really only get one interpretation from this haiku, although I do like it very much. It seems to me that there are two people, maybe in a bedroom, on the verge of making love to each other. I picture a honeymoon trip for a couple that has just been married and they are in their hotel room. As they stare into each other’s eyes with deep love, their hearts are beating quickly and they feel extremely close to one another. Because of the word “closer” I believe this to be the first time they have made love and because it is their first time, their hearts are almost like one because they are so close. In many relationships, people feel much closer to the other after they have made love to that person for the first time. I think the ellipse at the end of the word “closer” allows the reader to interpret it in anyway they want. For me, I think it’s most definitely becoming closer to the other person with whom they are about to share their first magical moment. reading her letter— suddenly aware of the look on my face I like this one very much because it is one of those moments in time that Tom talks so much about that happen frequently, but we’re not subconsciously aware of them. Many times people are so mad at another person or so in love with a person that they don’t actually realize their feelings for that person. For most people, they aren’t aware of the actual look on their faces after something has happened to them or some event has occurred. This haiku speaks to me personally because I have received many letters from my girlfriend that have made me both angry and happy, but I don’t actually realize the look on my face unless someone else tells me. A time when this actually happened was this past Christmas, although it wasn’t a letter she was reading. My girlfriend and I were sharing our Christmas with my family and I knew that she loved me, but never really thought of looking at her face as a way of telling me she loved me. After the trip was over and we were back at home, my mom kept telling me how my girlfriend would just keep looking at me and lovingly smile, almost as if she couldn’t help it. It’s one of those moments that you either like very much because of the love you realize or hate because you realize how mad or angry someone is with you. I’m lucky that the smiles on her face showed me love instead of misery! calling for the lost cat . . . windchimes Here is yet another haiku where I see the loneliness of a person with no companions; not even his pets. The word “calling” suggests to me that whoever this person is, is consistently calling this cat’s name over and over again. I just get the feeling that they are really worried for two reasons. The first reason I think is for the cat’s safety. If it wasn’t for the owner of the cat, the cat could not survive very long and this person knows that. Also, I feel that this person is worried that the cat may not come back to the house and he/she may become lonelier than they already are. I can picture a single person living in a house alone with just this cat to keep him/her from losing their mind. Also with the ellipse after the word “cat” I just see the person not calling for a minute and all they can feel is the wind in their face and all they can hear are the windchimes hanging from the roof. It’s like there is an uncomfortable pause and all that exists is the noise from the chimes. lunch alone without a book i read my mind Keeping with the main focus of loneliness and the concept of being alone, I also chose this particular haiku as one of my favorites. I think Zen heavily influences this one because of the “reading of the mind” in the final line. It seems as if this person is extremely lonely, without anyone to eat with, without a book to keep him occupied. He is forced to sit there alone, and because of that all he can do is think about life at the table. Maybe he’s wondering why he’s sitting there all alone. Maybe he’s wondering why he doesn’t have a book to read. Or maybe he’s not lonely at all and just didn’t have time to eat with anyone and just simply forgot to bring a book. I believe that he’s simply sitting there at the table thinking about life and what he’s got to accomplish the rest of the day. It was extremely interesting researching and studying the work of Tom Clausen after not knowing much about him prior to the study. Having only read a selected few of his haiku before researching him, I was not expecting to find how much Zen influenced himself and his haiku. The more work of his I read, the more I could clearly I could see it. Many of my favorites dealt with loneliness or becoming one with nature. There always seemed to be a time or pause in his work that allowed for a peaceful moment where it is just that person and his or her surroundings. I think this is the reason I enjoyed his work so much is because of those specific moments in time that he is able to capture so well. I highly recommend reading any of his work, especially if you would like to see how Zen relates to haiku. —Matt Whitsett Works Cited Clausen, Tom. E-mail interview. 17 April 2003. Clausen, Tom. “Without a Fortune.” Haiku Canada Sheet. Canada, 1990-91. http://www.haijinx.com/authors/t.clausen.html http://members.tripod.com/~Startag/HkWayTC.html http://www.news.cornell.edu/Chronicle/96/3.14.96/graffiti.html